


Smalltown Love

by casualpeaches



Category: Fandom (Anthropomorphic), Furry (Fandom), Original Work
Genre: Asexual Characters, Friends to Lovers, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Sex-Repulsed Character, ace characters, and fall in love, hear me out, okay so, one is a sheep and one is a mule, they meet in a club, two anthros
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-14
Updated: 2019-05-14
Packaged: 2020-03-04 22:09:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18821734
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/casualpeaches/pseuds/casualpeaches
Summary: A sheep lives in a little cottage outside of Smalltown, but frequents the clubs in Big City. In one certain club, there works a very handsome mule. The two meet, and romance ensues. This is the story of their life together.





	Smalltown Love

“The music is really loud tonight!”

“The music is always loud, dumbass.”

I frowned and shuffled my feet. It sounded extra loud tonight. Maybe it was just because I’m more sober than I usually am. Maybe it’s because I stupidly decided to wait to drink until we got here, because maybe I wanted to chat up the hot bartender tonight, because maybe I had a little crush on him. Or, maybe I just liked the idea of overpaying for drinks. Whatever. Regardless, I was too damn sober to stand here in line, waiting to get ID’d as the music and lights blared and assaulted my senses.

Val rolled her eyes at me and grabbed my arm, pulling me forward in line. We both had our ID’s in our hands already, in an effort to help the line move smoothly, which apparently no one else cared about.

Wow, I am being very grumpy. I seriously need a drink.

We finally reached the bouncer, and I went to hand him my card and then suddenly looked up-and up- and oh, there’s his face. Oh. Oh.

He had been bar-tending last weekend, but now, here he was, holding my card under a flashlight and scrutinizing it. I was not emotionally prepared for him to be right here, and also, how was I going to flirt with him now? Also also, is the bar sunken down because he seems much taller than I remember.

Val pulls me away as soon as he hands my card back to me, because I was definitely distracted by his muscular arms, broad shoulders, short blonde mohawk—

“Hey, loverboy! We need some drinks if you’re gonna hit that tonight.”

I could feel a blush warming up my cheeks, but thankfully being a lovely shade of grey meant no one could see it. Even when I got drunk and felt it spread to my lovely, long ears.

By the time I made to the bar, Val had ordered us two shots each. They tasted awful, but I was pretty good at throwing them back. I leaned against to bar to let them kick in a bit before getting more, and found that I was, conveniently, in the perfect place to ogle at the bouncer.

He was tall, as I mentioned already, and he was also blonde from head to toe—er, hoof. He was a horse, I think, but he had very long ears that stuck straight up (unlike mine, which are delightfully floppy and point out to the sides). He was very muscular, but not in an over-the-top, I’ll-rip-your-arms-out-of-their-sockets kind of way, more like a I’m-strong-enough-to-protect-you-but-also-soft-enough-to-cuddle-with kind of way.

Oh god, I’m definitely already feeling those shots. What am I even thinking?

“Val,” I start. She turns to me, holding out a shot. I take it, drink it, and continue, “Do you think I’ve got a chance?”

She follows my line of sight to the bouncer, eyes him up and down, in an analytical way, then nods. “He’s definitely bi, has mommy issues, and likes to cuddle while watching serial killer documentaries. Probably mooching off of someone else’s Netflix account.”

I playfully shove her and order a drink that will actually taste good. “I’m serious, Val! I saw him last weekend too. I really wanna go out with him.”

“I’m also serious, douchebag. Go for it.”

My prissy, actually good tasting drink comes out, and I immediately order a dark beer to bring to my soon-to-be paramour. It slides over to me, and I pick up both drinks and saunter over towards the door. I do my best to look very disinterested until I’m right next to the bouncer.

“D’ya wanna drink?” I ask, probably more slurred than I should have let on. He turns to me, and wow, he has to actually turn his head down to look me in the eye. Is that hot or embarrassing? Drunk me does not care.

He looks at the beer I’m holding out, and then to my girly drink. Okay, so yes, I am a man…boy, whatever, and I like girly drinks. I’m very in touch with my feminine side, and also, they taste better. Sue me.

“No thanks.”

It’s said in a nice way, not dismissive or rude or annoyed, and his voice is lovely and deep and just the right amount of husky. I can tell right away that he smokes. I don’t mind.

“Are y’sure? I ordered it just for you. You seem like…the beer type.” I don’t really know what The Beer Type was, but I’m sticking with it.

He shakes his head, then checks the card of someone coming in. There isn’t a line now, since most of the people who are going to come to the club are already here.

He looks at me again and I must look either hurt or downright offended, standing there and holding both drinks, because his face suddenly looks very soft and sorry.

“I can’t drink,” he says, leaning down to talk into my ear. Damn, the music must really be loud tonight. Oh, he is still talking into my ear. I zoned out.  
“…sober for 3 years now.” Oh. Now it’s my turn to feel bad.

I nod in drunken understanding, then tell him I’ll be right back and don’t go anywhere like an idiot because he’s not going anywhere because he’s working, jesus. I briskly walk back over to the bar, only to find that Val has vacated our spot in exchange for the dance floor. I leave the beer on the bar, not emotionally attached to it, and go to the floor to find Val.

The music is even louder here, but I’ve finished my very alcoholic girly drink (and set it down somewhere, but I don’t really remember where—or when) and I’m feeling very dance-y. A soft hand grabs mine and Val pulls me into the little circle she’s joined. She dances up against me and I dance along, holding her hips and gyrating in time to the beat. She and I were close enough that we always danced like this, and people always asked if we were together, and I always said that I’m far too gay for her (although if I were to go straight for anyone, it would be her). It was our thing, and it was fun, but I still wish I was dancing with Mr. Tall Handsome Stranger.

Some amount must have passed because Val is facing me and we are only kind of dancing now, and she is talking to me, but I haven’t heard either because of the music or because I am drunk and not paying attention. I talk-shout at her that I’m going to the bathroom and shuffle my way off the floor.  
I do go to the bathroom, but afterwards I am too determined to go back to the floor and waste more time dancing. I also am not sure how many more drinks I have had in between getting to the dancefloor and now. Oh well.

I go towards the door but don’t see Mr. Handsome Bouncer Man. My heart breaks a little bit in my very drunk chest, and I take a seat at the bar. The guy bartending, who is not My Betrothed, offers me a water. I say sure, then sip it slowly, wanting to hold on to my drunkenness.  
I nearly jump out of my fur when I feel a large, very much not Val’s hand on my back. I spin around in my seat and There He Is.

“Hey.” He says, and suddenly I am wholly in love.

“Hi.” I squeak out. Great.

“Is this seat taken?” He gestures to the bar stool next to mine. I shake my head. He sits.

Sitting, he is slightly less intimidating but still very attractive. I can see in the slightly-better-lit area of the bar that his eyes are green, and really lovely, and easy to just look at and get lost in—

“I’d offer to buy you a drink, but you seem like you don’t need anymore.” There’s no harshness to his words, instead sounding very caring. It makes a laugh bubble up in my chest that I can’t contain, and I fall into a fit of giggles, leaning in my stool.

He gently grabs my shoulder to help steady me and oh yeah, that’s what it feels like to be 17 and have a huge crush on someone and you trip, and they offer a hand to help you get up. Yes, that is strangely specific, but let’s not dwell on that.

I don’t want to try to talk right now because I am very much afraid that all that will come out is, “wowyou’resohotpleasetakemehome”. Do I even know this guy’s name yet? Did he tell me already and I forgot?

He answers my unspoken question. “My name’s Roland, what’s yours?”

I slur out, “Elli-ellieeee-elliot, it’s Elliot, but you can call me Ellie, if you…if you want to.” Oh, my, god, I am actually the most embarrassing drunk ever. Roland is laughing at me. Actually laughing at me. I am going to die.

“That’s a sick name, Elliot.” He sounds so sincere, and so sweet, and I so want to go home with him. I decide to blurt that out, not having any of the logic to maybe consider why I should not blurt that out.

“Can I come home with you?” Ooookay, maybe less shots next time I go out.

He laughed again, and god, I want to hear that laugh forever. “Sure.”

Sure? SURE? Did he really just—am I—did I—

Before I can process, he is getting up and I am following him. Oh! I have to tell Val. I tell Roland “just a second!” and glance around quickly, only to see that Val had reappeared out of thin air and was giving him a knowing smile and a nod. He turns back around to face Roland and said, “Nevermind, I’m good to go, when you areee.” The last sound has a lilt that I don’t mean to do, but Roland must find it endearing because his smile is very wide when I look back up at him.

We walk out of the club and into the brisk night air and I suck in a deep breath. The air feels so good in my nose and lungs, and it should be sobering, but it isn’t really. He leads me to a parking lot a couple blocks over, and into his car. I plopped down into the passenger side and he shut my door for me, like a proper gentleman. After he got in, he realized I did not have my seat belt on (a bad habit of mine even when sober), and buckled me in. I felt a little like a chastised child, but he didn’t actually chastise me at all, just silently leaned over and clicked the buckle. It was actually very sweet.

I leaned up against the window as soon as he started the car, and the last thing I remember is thinking how sweet the car smelled, and then I promptly passed the fuck out.  
-  
Wow, tonight’s shift had really taken a turn for the best. At first, I was pretty nervous about being the bouncer for the first time. I had only ever worked at the bar, and I felt like I was doing pretty well, chatting people up, getting tips, the works. So when Johnny had called in sick super last minute and they needed someone tall and intimidating to work the door, I was understandably apprehensive. I had spent the last few months learning to be very personable and charming, and now I had to play burly and capable of assault (which I am not!). In addition, I would not be getting any tips tonight. Ugh.

But then _he_ came in. He was a very petite sheep, with grey fur and a mop of curly black hair and adorable long ears. He wore shiny black pants that clung to his hips and legs, a silver belt, and a shiny black silk tank top that looked like the top half of a beautiful 1920s shift dress. He always came with a friend, a tall slender Doberman who looked like a damn supermodel and could pull off wearing a trash bag.

They came in with the early crowd and went straight to the bar, after the handsome sheep and I had shared about a half-second of eye contact. He had beautiful blue eyes, and I could be cliché and try to describe them using sapphires or the sky or a vast ocean, but honestly, none of those words would do them justice.

I didn’t get to watch him saunter to the bar because the rest of the early crowd still wanted in. I kept my eye out for him for the rest of my shift though, and we ended up chatting a little bit later on. He told me his name was Elliot, which was a super adorable name. He seemed very sweet and very drunk. I figured out pretty quickly that I should take him home, especially if he was here by himself, so that he didn’t get taken advantage of. It definitely didn’t have anything to do with my quickly getting a huge crush on him. I was pretty honored when his friend—I think he said her name was Val—gave me the Nod of Approval.

Almost immediately after I buckled him in, he fell asleep. He woke up a little bit a couple of times on the drive, which was a little on the long side since I lived in the next town over, Smalltown. I hoped it wasn’t too far from where Elliot lived, in case he woke up sometime before morning and had to get an Uber home, or have his friend come pick him up.

When I pulled into the driveway of the little house I was renting, I looked over to my passenger seat. He was still asleep, but not snoring yet, so I gently nudged his shoulder and said, “Hey, Elliot, if you don’t wake up I’m gonna carry you inside, which would be very easy for me and gentlemanly, but also, you might not want to be carried, so if you don’t want to be carried you should speak up.”

He continued to sleep.

I got out of the car, walked around, and opened his door carefully so as not to let him fall out. I reached over his tiny frame and unbuckled his seatbelt, then carefully picked him up with one arm under his leg, bridal style.

Unlocking and opening the door was a little difficult, but I managed without jostling him too much. The clock in the living room read 2:35 in glaring red numbers. I carried the little sheep back into my bedroom, set him down on the bed, and made sure that the blankets were situated in a comfortable way around him. I made sure to shut the bedroom door very quietly before making my way to the kitchen. I got a glass of water and sipped it thoughtfully.

I brought home a stranger.

Okay, I know his first name.

But for the most part, I brought home a stranger.

I mean, it’s not like we’re going to hook up, since he’s passed out and I’m very asexual, but it still isn’t something I do very often. I started to worry about what he’d be like when he woke up. Maybe he isn’t that sweet when he’s sober. Maybe he will be offended that I took him home, and say that I should have left him with his friend.

I finished the glass and set it on the counter. No, I decided. I was not going to worry about that because it is too late now to change my mind.

I went into the living room and plopped down on the couch, already resigned to sleeping in my clothes. I pulled a pillow down to put my head on and stared at the clock’s red numbers until I fell asleep.  
-  
The sun was streaming in through the curtains when I groggily opened my eyes. My eyelids felt crusty and gross, and my mouth was dry from hanging open all night. I slowly, so slowly, rolled over so that I wasn’t staring into the sunlight, and was startled by a nightstand that was distinctly not mine. However, despite it being very much Not Mine, my phone was plugged in and sitting on it.

The next thing I decided to check was my clothes. I looked down at myself and was pleased to find that I was still wearing my fine-as-fuck outfit from the night before. My pants were definitely too tight to be comfortable, though.

I got up out of the bed that was also Not Mine and peeled my stupid leather pants off. Okay, they’re not stupid, but they are only comfortable if you haven’t eaten in a while and are planning to go home with a stranger. My slip dress unfolded from underneath it to its full length, around my knees. It was so pretty and shiny that I should wear it more often, but I still got nervous when going out in dresses sometimes.

I set the pants on the bed and walked out of the room, looked left and right, and decided to hunt down a bathroom. After I achieved that, I hunted down the kitchen and chugged a huge glass a water. I felt so much better after the water that I went back into the bedroom and got my phone, checking the time and my texts.

_“Hey, since you’re probably just waking up, you went home with the bouncer last night. He’s super cute. Hope you scored. Xoxo”_

I sighed. I loved Val so much. Also, it was well past 9 o’clock.

Okay, so. I must be at the bouncer’s house, then. What was his name? I concentrated really hard, wiggling my septum ring with my upper lip.

Roland! Yes. That’s it. I’m sure of it.

I stepped quietly into the living room, holding my glass of water still. I felt like I was intruding, even though I was about 98% sure Roland had carried me in here last night—er, very early this morning.

The horse in question was laying on the couch, awake but barely, scrolling through something on his phone. When I came into his line of sight, he looked up, his very tall ears both turning towards me.

“You’re up! Do you want some uh coffee or anything?” He asked hurriedly while getting up from the couch at the same time. To his credit, he does it all in one smooth motion, and is suddenly drawn up to his full height. It’s a little threatening even from across the room.

“Coffee would be great, thanks.”

He looked a little taken aback. I probably sounded a lot peppier last night, when I was very drunk, but was now very tired and getting a headache, so I had to keep my voice level, or my skull would throb.

I stepped aside, out of the doorway, and watched him walk past me to get into the kitchen. He sets a kettle to boil and pulls a small French press out of his cabinet. Oh my gosh, how domestic. How cute.

“Thanks for taking me home,” I said. “I know I can go a little overboard.”

He smiled, scooping ground coffee into the press. “It was no problem. You made a very compelling argument.” I looked at him quizzically, so he elaborated, “well, okay, you just asked, but you’re very cute and it was impossible to say no.”

I blushed a little, playing with the hem of my dress. “Thank you,” I said quietly. I was about to compliment him back, but suddenly a more pressing thought occurred to me. “Did we…I mean, uh, did I…?” I trailed off, gesturing to both of us together, not knowing how to finish my question.

He shook his head. “No, you passed out before we got here. I carried you in. After asking permission, of course.”

I smiled. “That is so cute of you. And I’m really sorry, again, for how drunk I got.” I rubbed my eye a little. “I was, uh, kind of planning on going home with you, but I thought you’d be bar-tending.”

He explained the whole ordeal with Johnny calling in sick, and how he wasn’t looking forward to working at the door, and we sat and drank coffee. He drank his with flavored creamer but no sugar. We started out at a little table in the dining room by a sunny window, with floral yellow curtains, but eventually moved to the couch.

It was past 1 in the afternoon when I finally told him I needed to head home. This started the conversation that lead me to find out that we were, in fact, in Smalltown, and so pretty close to my house. I offered to get a ride, but he insisted on driving me home himself, so I gave him directions.

Before I got out of his truck, I put my number in his phone under _“Cute boi <3”_.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you so much for reading!! i hope you enjoyed my little characters, whomst i love and cherish. feel free to leave a review if you want, reading them makes me so so so happy!! <3 <3 <3  
> p.s. i am aware i switched from current-tense to past-tense, im really sorry that was as consistent as i could make it. i might go back and fix the first section but.....its unlikely tbh


End file.
